World Kickball Championship Tournament History
Click here for the current WAKA Founders Cup World Kickball Championship info!

Tournament Program
Saturday October 10, 2009
The Others (3)
(DC Capital League)
vs.
Best Coast Ballers (1)
(CA Gold Rush League)


The Others
2009 Founders Cup
World Kickball Champions

Tournament Program
Saturday August 30, 2008
Frosty Balls (2)
(VA Shore League)
vs.
Meatballs (0)
(FL West Palm League)


Frosty Balls
2008 Founders Cup
World Kickball Champions


Tournament Program
Saturday September 1, 2007
DWAKP (3)
(FL Beach League)
vs.
Fiasco United (0)
(FL Riptide League)


DWAKP
2007 Founders Cup
World Kickball Champions
Tournament Program
Saturday July 22, 2006
Kick Asphalts (3)<
(VA Dominion League)
vs.
Off in Public (2)
(DC Rock Creek League)


Kick Asphalts
2006 Founders Cup
World Kickball Champions



Tournament Program
Saturday July 23, 2005
Kick Asphalts (5)
(VA Dominion League)
vs.
Off in Public (2)
(MD Bethesda League)


Kick Asphalts
2005 Founders Cup
World Kickball Champions


Tournament Program
Saturday August 21, 2004
Kick Asphalts (19)
(VA Dominion League)
vs.
N.A.D.S. (1)
(VA Triumph League)


Kick Asphalts
2004 Founders Cup
World Kickball Champions
Saturday September 13, 2003
My Left Foot (17)
(DC Capital League)
vs.
Happy Fun Ball (3)
(VA Alexandria League)


My Left Foot
2003 Founders Cup
World Kickball Champions

Game Writeup

Hundreds of teams in dozens of leagues contended for their respective league championship in the WAKA Spring/Summer Season of 2003 and sixteen teams were invited for the Founders Cup World Kickball Championship weekend. In the final game, My Left Foot handed Happy Fun Ball their first loss in a decisive 17-3 victory for the Founders Cup. Happy Fun Ball set the record for the longest games and most overtimes in a World Kickball Championship when they played a total of 25 innings throughout three games in a row. The final game of the tournament was called off due to rain, and the makeup game the following week was also called off. Finally, on September 13, despite wet conditions that usually impede a defense, MLF captain and pitcher Dave Magee and his defense displayed a flawless field performance, holding previously undefeated Happy Fun Ball scoreless for the first five innings. Offensively, MLF set a Founders Cup final game record with 17 runs. Of MLF's 13 players, 12 combined for 36 kicks, and 11 crossed the plate.
Saturday August 17, 2002
Milk Money Millionaires (2)
(DC Potomac League)
vs.
Pity the Fool (1)
(VA Dominion League)


Milk Money Millionaires
2002 Founders Cup
World Kickball Champions

Game Writeup

Over 150 teams in eleven leagues contended for their respective league's championship. Sixteen teams made the Championship weekend, representing three states and 11 leagues. MMM was awarded the coveted Founders Cup and was suitably rewarded Saturday night at the award ceremony party.

The Milk Money Millionaires are World Kickball Champions, after a stunning 2-1 upset of defending champions Pity The Fool of the VA Dominion League. To get to the championship, MMM smoked DC Potomac League's Varsity 11-1, upset DC Capital League’s Keg Kickers 3-0, and beat DC Adams Morgan League's Team Noonan with a come-from-behind 5-1 victory. All in all, MMM outscored its opponents in the playoffs an amazing 55-16 in a gritty effort of team work, solid defense, good pitching, and good base running.

MMM took the lead one to nil in the bottom of the first, as Gus Fritschie kicked a long sacrifice fly with bases loaded. Pity the Fool matched the run in the third on a bases loaded sacrifice. Things looked gloomy for Milk Money in the fourth, as Linda Hertzog, in an emotional effort of determination and heart, was thrown out at first on a great bunt. When crossing first, she stepped on the foot of the first baseman and severely damaged the ligaments of her ankle. She was lost for the game, and was sent to GW hospital for examination. (MMM honors her with the rightmost spot in the picture above.)


The faces of Milk Money were gloomy. But the emotion of the injury to Hertzog, and the chanting of the fans to bring the Founders Cup back to Washington DC, MMM was able to pull off the upset. In the bottom of the fifth, Tim Meyer led off with a bunt and reached third on Sara Thompson’s sacrifice. After failing to score the runner from third and two outs, tournament MVP Marni Laverentz laid down a perfect bunt down the third base line, beating the throw as Meyer scored the game winning run. MMM turned two double plays, including the last play of the game as Cy Young pitcher Mike Brandhagen nailed a line drive and doubled up a runner on first base.
Saturday August 18, 2001
Pity the Fool (7)
(VA Dominion League)
vs.
The Grass Kickers (6) (0)
(DC Federal League)


Pity the Fool
2001 Founders Cup
World Kickball Champions

Game Writeup

On the afternoon of Saturday, August 18, the league champions of every WAKA league played in Washington DC in the 2001 World Kickball Championship Tournament for the Founders Cup. From a total of 64 original teams, four teams earned the right to play in the World Kickball Championship Tournament. Pity the Fool, The Grass Kickers, The Screaming Caissons, and Finnegan's Wake gathered to do battle in the single-elimination tournament. The Grass Kickers paired off against The Screaming Caissons and won in the extra inning. Pity the Fool won their semi-final game against Finnegan's Wake 2-1. At 4:00 PM, after a heart-warming rendition of the National Anthem, Pity the Fool and The Grass Kickers squared off. In one of the best WAKA kickball games ever played, Pity the Fool overcame the tied score and won the game in the extra eighth inning 7-6. That evening, at the Kick Ball Awards Ceremony Extravaganza, Pity the Fool was crowned 2001 World Kickball Champion and awarded their gold medals and the Founders Cup.
Thick Femur (1)
(DC Capital League)
vs.
After School Specials (0)
(DC Capital League)


Thick Femur
2000 Founders Cup
World Kickball Champions

Game Writeup

Mark Ratchford pitched the only no-kicker in WAKA finals history that day, but did give up a walk to Ashley to mar his perfect game. With darkness falling quickly, Matt Curtis kicked the RKI game-winning Thick Femur run by drilling the ball between first and second allowing game MVP Mark to score from third base in the bottom of the fifth inning.
After School Specials (7)
(DC Capital League)
vs.
Keg Kickers (6)
(DC Capital League)


After School Specials
1999 Founders Cup
World Kickball Champions
Thursday July 30, 1998
The Big Kids (4)
(DC Capital League)
vs.
Kickin' Chicken (2)
(DC Capital League)


The Big Kids
1998 Founders Cup
World Kickball Champions

Game Writeup

Although finishing only 3-4-0 in the regular season, the Big Kids pulled it out in the championship games with upset after upset. The 1998 Founders Cup was taken only after the Big Kids upset the top-seeded Kickin' Chicken 4-2 in the final.

The History of the Founders Cup

    The WAKA Founders Cup is awarded annually to the kickball team winning the World Kickball Championship in the Spring/Summer season.     Few trophies in the world can compare with the history and mystique of kickball's Founders Cup. The Cup's power and grace, smooth lines, and solid luster all combine to epitomize the commitment, dedication to a cause, and excellence required of champions in the world's best known playground sport - kickball. 


    The trophy was crafted by some of the world's finest silversmiths in the Kashmir region of India. It is a 12" tall, sterling silver, wide-mouthed half-gallon grail with intricately designed handles, base, and rim. The Irish Lord O'Casey purchased and brought the trophy to Dublin in the early 19th century and used it to celebrate the champions of his own private estate sports tournaments. So revered was the Cup by fellow Lords and commoners alike, it is not surprising that O'Casey eventually lost possession of it. It is unclear whether the Cup was lost due to play in an Inter-Estate Tournament, or if it was stolen by one of the participants or guests. From there, more than 50 years later, the trophy mysteriously made it to the Americas soon after the end of the American Civil War. Rumor has it that the Cup served as a prize both for local baseball and later, soccer teams, at different times during its stay in the United States.


     The Cup's recent history starts, of course, with the founders for which it is named. Having played kickball all their lives, these four young men started the kickball league that would soon be known simply by its acronym, WAKA. In appreciation of the time and energy that the founders donated to the league and the sport in general, a group of players suggested that the first WAKA season's championship team receive a trophy titled, the Founders Cup. So, after a long and varied life, the Cup finally made its way to WAKA and debuts to this day as the World Kickball Championship Founders Cup.


     The one constant throughout the silver grail's life has been its unique status in the sports world. "It's unique because there's no other kickball trophy like it," said David Lowry, WAKA's Executive Director. That kind of history has built the legend and aura that surrounds the Cup today. Jimmy Walicek, another of WAKA's National Directors, relates that one of the many traditions associated with the Founders Cup is its presentation to the winning team during the awards ceremony - the Cup is filled to the rim with fine ale. After the team drinks in the sweet victory, the Cup is hoisted above the players' heads. "It's a sign of victory not just for the players, but the fans as well," said Walicek.


     Arguably, the Founders Cup is a metaphor for kickball itself. It has endured spirited celebration, suffered a pulled hamstring, sprained an ankle, and shows a few scars and bruises, yet it is still the shining silver embodiment of kickball's style, valor, and glory. Like the game-weary WAKA player in grass-stained shorts and sweaty socks it always returns the next year to play again.